The Bier Haus, as it is commonly called, is one of the very few places in Houston that has a bocce court (lawn bowling) and is the only one that has a continuously used official size and construction court.

Upon my most initial of plans, I had not set about to do more than “pass through” Houston on my way to Austin. As I approached the great state of Texas, I slowed my engines a little. This place is beyond massive. I called NBGD’s old friend Matt, who is a favorite son of Houston and asked for a recommendation. He did what anyone who was raised in the city where a recommendation was requested: he googled it. Hans’ Bier Haus it would be.

I drive through the city and come to a teeny tiny little non-house labled Hans’ Bier Haus. I drive around the block looking for street parking, but I am wary of anything too far away since all of my personal belongings are in my car and I have an internal panic attack when I am more than 10 yards away from it. Huzzah! A chap pulls out of a spot right out front and I make my move!

The reformed house is itty-bitty but it packs a wallop. I go in and pass by 2 little alcoves to the bar. This room is big enough to hold a couch or two, a table and a bar, but small enough to encourage people to move out back. There are dozens and dozens of taps on the back wall. I order something local, but I forget off the top of my head. They have a good selection of local and craft brews. I take it outside to the garden area.

Wow. Definitely a unique vibe going on here. To the left, there is a long line of wooden picnic tables with more scattered around. To the right there is a full sized sand bocce court. I don’t know if the correct nomenclature is “court,” but for me, it’s a court. The area is all on a slightly raised wooden deck. In the back there is a dedicated outdoor bar that is not operating while I am there. Above me I can see an enormous 2-part sailboat sail. It serves as both a shade and as a random awesome original artifact.

This place definitely caters to the 20 somethings. Bocce says it all. The court is occupied all night. Hans’ General Manager, Rob, tells me that there is a tournament once a year, but that the court is consistently in use almost all the time. I definitely want to play, but there are already others out there and I felt like I would be intruding.

As I sip my Houston brew, I noticed that every song that blooms out of the speakers is completely different than the one before. Rob tells me that Hans’ had been voted the bar with the Most Eclectic music selection in the city. If anyone has listened to a CD mix of mine, they would know that I appreciate that a ton! I love going from Andrew York’s Sunburst to Offsprings Come Out and Play!

On a final note, the thing that I really appreciated most about this true beer garden was that they found a way to do this without serving any food. In fact, Rob says that you can bring your own food in. I always thought that a true beer garden should be able to rely on its’ atmosphere and beer alone; the rest is gravy.

I am so happy I found this little place in Houston and will make a point to return when I, in turn, return; but next time, I’m bocce-ing damn it!